Idiom: Play It By Ear

Updated On May 20, 2021

IDIOM OF THE DAY FOR IELTS SPEAKING – PLAY IT BY EAR

Definition:

Act spontaneously and according to the situation without plan (To let things go as they may)

History of idiom:

This saying has its origins in music, as “playing something by ear” means to play music without the sheets. This sense of the phrase dates back to the 16^th century, bit the present use only came into being in mid-20^th century America, primarily referring to sports. These days, this expression has been used in different context, not limited to sports & music.

Example:

“I’m not sure how long I’ll stay at the party. I’ll just play it by ear.”

“I didn’t know what to expect from my new job, so I played it by ear ”

“We can’t make a decision yet. Let’s just play it by ear.”

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Janice Thompson

Soon after graduating with a Master’s in Literature from Southern Arkansas University, she joined an institute as an English language trainer. She has had innumerous student interactions and has produced a couple of research papers on English language teaching. She soon found that non-native speakers struggled to meet the English language requirements set by foreign universities. It was when she decided to jump ship into IELTS training. From then on, she has been mentoring IELTS aspirants. She joined IELTSMaterial about a year ago, and her contributions have been exceptional. Her essay ideas and vocabulary have taken many students to a band 9.